I’ve come down here, dearest Mildred, to spend a few days with my old friend Mrs. Stuart Menteath. It is just 30 years since I first came to this part of the world—and I’m bound to say I don’t feel much older now then I did then, though I fear that such Leichtzinnigkeit [sic]“Light-headedness.” does not auger well. As I told MoltkePossibly Erik Moltke (1901–1984), a runologist, writer, and editor. in your presence, Wenn es dem Esel gut geht, geht er auf’s Eis tanzen.“When the donkey is well, he goes dancing on the ice.”

Geneva was on the whole depressing—especially with the King’s illnessKing George V of England became seriously ill in November 1928 and underwent a lung operation in December. hanging over everything—such a gloomy outlook if he were to die before the General Election, thereby furnishing the people now in power with a plea for a Political Truce, and helping them to create in the country the sentimental Stimmung“Mood.” that might help to bring them back for another term. God avert it!

I hear that Esmé Howard Esmé William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Penrith (1863–1939), a British diplomat who served as ambassador to the United States between 1924 and 1930. is for home.

Elisina writes that Mlle. MalyeThérèse Malye (1886–1951), Mildred Barnes Bliss’s social secretary in Paris. telephoned to say that you are not making your mind up about the Kaleb.jewelsuntil you’ve seen the Metropolitan things. I’ll be in Paris tomorrow for two or three days, and will pour the needed oil on Kaleb’s spirits—I had told him you were taking them. That will be quite all right, whichever way you decide. I’ll also get Bacri to say, definitely, how much he’ll take for the ivory, and to renew his promise not to dispose of it till he hears from you. I think you ought to have it.

Css SigrayCountess Sigray (née Harriot Daly) (1880–1950), the wife of Count Antal “Anton” Sigray (1879–1947) of Hungary. (Mrs. Gerard’sMrs. James Watson Gerard (née Mary Daly). sister) is in N.Y. for a month, from the 19th Dec. If you happen to come across her, do have a talk with her. She’s nice.